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Why We Wear New Clothes on Easter – A History of the Tradition From a Fashion School Perspective
Many of us can remember our parents dressing us up in new clothes every Easter so we could parade around the neighborhood in our finest. It was a fun tradition to look forward to (or avoid, as some fashion-phobic children were known to do), whether we went to church or not. But where did this tradition come from? A look through history shows that its origins are not what we might expect. And examining the custom from a fashion school point of view, we see how changing retailing patterns have altered its significance.
Origins in other cultures. Although we associate wearing new clothes in spring with the Easter holiday, the tradition dates back to ancient times. Pagan worshipers celebrated the vernal equinox with a festival in honor of Ostera, the Germanic Goddess of Spring, and believed that wearing new clothes brought good luck. The Iranian new year, celebrated on the first day of Spring, has traditions rooted in the ancient pre-Islamic past. These traditions include spring cleaning and wearing new clothes to signify renewal and optimism. Similarly, the Chinese have celebrated its spring festival, also known as Lunar New Year, by wearing new clothes. It symbolized not only new beginnings, but the idea that people have more than they possibly need.
Christian beginnings. In the early days of Christianity, newly baptized Christians wore white linen robes at Easter to symbolize rebirth and new life. But it was not until 300 A.D. that wearing new clothes became an official decree, as the Roman emperor Constantine declared that his court must wear the finest new clothing on Easter. Eventually, the tradition came to mark the end of Lent, when after wearing weeks of the same clothes, worshipers discarded the old frocks for new ones.
Superstitions. A 15th-century proverb from Poor Robin’s Almanack stated that if one’s clothes on Easter were not new, one would have bad luck: “At Easter let your clothes be new; Or else for sure you will it rue.” In the 16th Century during the Tudor reign, it was believed that unless a person wore new garments at Easter, moths would eat the old ones, and evil crows would nest around their homes.
Post Civil War. Easter traditions as we know it were not celebrated in America until after the Civil War. Before that time, Puritans and the Protestant churches saw no good purpose in religious celebrations. After the devastation of the war, however, the churches saw Easter as a source of hope for Americans. Easter was called “The Sunday of Joy,” and women traded the dark colors of mourning for the happier colors of spring.
The Easter Parade. In the 1870s, the tradition of the New York Easter Parade began, in which women decked out in their newest and most fashionable clothing walked between the beautiful gothic churches on Fifth Avenue. The parade became one of the premier events of fashion design, a precursor to New York Fashion Week, if you will. It was famous around the country, and people who were poor or from the middle class would watch the parade to witness the latest trends in fashion design. Soon, clothing retailers leveraged the parade’s popularity and used Easter as a promotional tool in selling their garments. By the turn of the century, the holiday was as important to retailers as Christmas is today.
The American Dream. By the middle of the 20th Century, dressing up for Easter had lost much of any religious significance it might have had, and instead symbolized American prosperity. A look at vintage clothing ads in a fashion school library shows that wearing new clothes on Easter was something every wholesome, All-American family was expected to do.
Attitudes today. Although many of us may still don new clothes on Easter, the tradition doesn’t feel as special, not because of any religious ambivalence, but because we buy and wear new clothes all the time. At one time in this country, middle class families shopped only one or two times a year at the local store or from a catalog. But in the last few decades, retailing options have boomed. There’s a Gap on every corner, and countless internet merchants allow us to shop 24/7. No wonder young people today hear the Irving Berlin song “Easter Parade” and have no idea what it means.
It’s interesting to see where the tradition of wearing new clothes on Easter began, and how it’s evolved through the years. Even with changing times, however, the custom will surely continue in some form. After all, fashionistas love a reason to shop.
By: Lily McCallister
Popular Trends in Kids T-Shirts
Today’s style in childrens T-shirts mostly mirror parents wishes that their kids be comfortable, but stylish at the same time. Years ago, T-shirts used to be considered as something that was usually too informal for loads of situations outside of rough-and-tumble play in the outdoors or to bum around in the house.
A lot of times, children would use bigger sized T-shirts as makeshift or chosen night clothing. Most kids T-shirts, particularly those with stacks of graphics, make really good items to reserve for pajamas. Generally, children from three to fourteen years old have a individual style in T-shirts.
Younger children, such as those from three to eight, look to select T-shirts that are more classic in design and have well-recognized cartoon characters or other characters from fashionable children’s culture such as Spiderman, SuperMario etc. Young girls, on the other hand, still seem to desire the more female characterizations like Cinderella or other princesses.
As always, the younger crowd always love the Disney associated characters while recent movie characters such as Harry Potter have begun to take some of the action. Owing last summer’s film sensation, Transformers T-shirts enjoy a fair bit of esteem with both boys and girls, although they sell more robustly amongst boys.
A set of childrens T-shirts can make a delightful gift for a child at any special event, including Christmas. Those with a vivid picture and substantial cotton weaves or blends that have robust stitching, then able to withstand several washings are incredibly appreciated as gifts by many mothers these days. The terrific thing is that nearly all T-shirts for children aren’t expensive.
By the time kids start teen years, such as those who are thirteen or 14 years old, a mother would be hard-pressed to get them to agree to wear a Tom and Jerry T-shirt. Or any T-shirt portraying a cartoon character that would probably be more apt for kids of a younger set of ages. For those early teen children or adolescents, T-shirts that depict characters from Marvel comics are always a safe choice for boys.
Girls reaching those teenager years are not ordinarily looking for Ariel, but rather are beginning to opt for characters such as Hannah Montana. Characters that from Japanese anime art such as Ben 10 are a great choice too. T-shirts that are more culturally relevant for a 13 or fourteen year old look excellent with a pair of indigo jeans.
The most modern thing in high-class childrens T-shirts, relating to material composition are the kinds of T-shirts that are made of lighter weight materials like polyester. Both robust and yet much lighter in weight, a good T-shirt made from 100% polyester can come uninterrupted from the drier and right onto a teens body without needing to iron it first.
Specially in the case of girls, crinkle free clothes seems to be a high concern, including informal T-shirts. Most young girls would sooner do all the family chores for a year rather than be seen outdoors in something that has even a solitary wrinkle on it. Boys, on the other hand, commonly could not care less whether there is merely one crease or one thousand.
Possibly the most undying designs in the T-shirt industry are always character shirts. Adults and children equally seem to have no trouble sporting a cute T-shirt that has their desired character from some current cultural channel on it. Prevalent on wrist watches, Mickey Mouse is a number one character on both boys and girls T-shirts, no matter what age.
As a cultural marvel, the Disney mouse means assorted things to diverse people. On children’s T-shirts, he could be something lighthearted and free from care while on an adult T-shirt Mickey Mouse may be making a declaration about a mature person who still wants to hold on to a fraction of their youth.
Doesn’t matter what the object to put on laid-back wear, Children’s T-shirts are classic, ageless and also fully up to date. They’re also suitable for almost every occasion.
By: Mark Bailey-Griffiths
Trendy Maternity Clothing – Where Can You Get Them?
Congratulations on expecting your new bundle of joy! If you are one of the many thousands of women who get pregnant and upset because they think trendy maternity clothes do not exist, you can put your worries aside. No matter what size your tummy grows to be there are plenty of fashionable items out there that are comfortable too. The reason why so many pregnant women get discouraged about not being able to find trendy maternity clothes is because there really aren’t a lot of options locally. Hence most women just assume that such clothes do not exist.
You can now dismiss all these assumptions because trendy pregnancy clothes are readily available at thousands of retailers, online. The internet is an amazing place to find cute and fashionable pregnancy clothes, pajamas, lingerie, and even beauty accessories. Be proud of your tummy and wear the clothing that makes you feel good and yet maintain the comfort level that suits you. Wearing comfortable clothes is very important during your pregnancy and most think that designer maternity clothes and comfort do not go hand in hand. Once again, they are sadly mistaken.
Websites like Trendy Tummy Maternity, Motherhood Maternity, 9 Months to Grow, and Bella Blum Maternity all offer some of the most fashionable and affordable pregnancy clothes on the net. To include all of the websites that offer pregnant women with cute, sexy and trendy clothes would definitely fill up pages and pages of paper, therefore the best way to get started on finding your perfect trendy maternity clothes is to start out on your local search engine. Just type in what you are looking for like ‘designer maternity clothes’, and wait for the results to pop up.
If you get overwhelmed by the amount of search results you get, just ease into it by visiting the first couple of links and websites that you are given. The first page of any search engine is full of the top rated and most visited maternity websites on the web that offer both affordable and trendy maternity clothing. However, there are of course a few dresses, tanks, and tees that are better to be worn without the beautiful baby bump. If this is your first time pregnancy, do take this opportunity to present your belly with the best fashion during your nine month journey to mother hood.
By: Tom Tan
How To Find Trendy Baby Clothes Online
Perhaps the greatest joy in your life is when you get the chance to dress your little baby girl in new clothing, particularly for parties. This is because these little models will be able to brighten up any room when they are sporting trendy baby clothes. However, on average the local stores don’t appear to carry dresses which are unique. Generally overly fashioned and mass-produced, if you are purchasing the largely promoted clothing this will seem like a walk down the “has been lane.” In the event that you are having similar problems and need elegant and modest baby girl clothing to differentiate from others, then shopping online will be the best option.
Of course, if you travel a lot then finding designer clothing would be just a stroll down the best boulevard. But for other people, when it’s time to shop for those to-die-for dresses it could be quite an exercise. Why, because it is not very easy to locate a store which combines a true sense of social duty; high fashion; humane production techniques and simply stylish clothing.
When it comes to online shopping the stores will never go to sleep. Looking for the best baby clothing is challenging enough and to do this besides shopping in an e-commerce setting will be very ridiculous. Well, the good news is that the store hours, busy streets or slim choices will not be able to stop you from finding the trendy clothing that you desire nowadays.
There are more than enough options online these days, so much so that you might across some of the most delightful stores offering charitable items which are cutting-edge in the industry. In addition to finding cute designer dressers for your little princess, you can also find matching accessories such as flip flops, cover ups, hair pins, hair bows, knit booties and many more. There is no doubt that this will be a wonderful shopping experience for you instead of going from one store to the next just to find inferior choices.
By: Colin Scott
How To Find The Wedding Dress Trends
As every piece of clothing that we wear is always new and old trends, for 2011 if you are more in to the fairytale, princess gown, it will be a bit easier the exaltation of the romanticism, vulnerability, and the fine feminine details are in order in the brides to be fashion for this year.
The simple lines will fit every single type of body shape, fine straps to bring up an more feminine and innocent look, also the breezy dresses to emulate those breathe taking beautiful Greek goddess in the ancient times are in this year.
The materials in 2011 will mix in order to create different shapes on the dresses, the lower part will be add up with much more volume than the upper part this last one will be tight to the body creating the feminine figure to stand up. On the other hand of romanticism, some materials are not that flexible like Mikado which will create dresses more architectural and rigid.
The attention of the bride will captured on the back part as the details and designs towards the line are incredible, not only that, dresses full of precious stones, or flowers are also very imperative on this year trend.
The dominant colours will be light pink, peach and ivory but for the most adventurous there is black or red, even prints or mix with other different colours such green. The traditional white, or champagne are always good choice as well.
Is important to remember that your hairstyle and make up will do your whole outfit combine with your dress, so you don’t forget to pay special attention to them as well the up styles and the accessories in the hair look like has replace the traditional veil and the makeup, is very colourful, smoky eyes, and red lips are on.
By: M Carson
Unique Baby Clothes – Still Possible, Even With Baby Boy T-Shirts
When shopping for unique baby clothes, it can be rare to find baby t-shirts that can fit the bill. We all see the same superheroes, the same comic book fare, but are there baby boy clothes that don’t follow the age-old trends? Can you find baby t-shirts that your boy will look unique in, and yet be quality clothing? If you’re after baby clothes that are high quality but off the tired, stuck-in-a-design-rut path everyone else seems to be happy with, you’re in luck.
Just the other day, during a web-surfing marathon, in a desperate attempt to avoid the same old routine for a certain little boy, the author happened across an Asian-inspired tee from designer Evisu. The cotton tee was of high quality, and at first glance appeared to have a depiction of a popular superhero, Cpt. America. Upon closer inspection, the details of the icon didn’t quite seem to fit. It wasn’t Cpt. America, it was “Captain Bonsai,” riding a cloud, and full of the whimsical style that only a designer could pull off. Turns out the shirt was made in Italy, and seemed to be just the perfect fit to fight off the ho-hum blues.
What is a name like “Bonsai” doing coming from Italy? It is a weird fit, to tell the truth, perfect marks for unique baby clothes. Evisu is designed in Japan, but made in Italy. The quirkiness of the label is attracting attention in a number of quality shops. The design of their tees is exactly what a little boy should be wearing: fun, comfortable cotton, unique spins on design, and durable. If you haven’t heard of Evisu, you may want to give them a look. Their baby clothes are simply adorable on little guys!
By: Beatrix Anne
Cheap Baby Clothes – Hip Baby Clothes Are This Summer’s Trend
Most parents are looking for cheap baby clothes; however, you definitely do not want to miss out on the trend this summer as well. The hip baby clothes are hottest trend this summer.
To bold shoes with brown checkerboard sneakers to sporty styles with graphic printed board shorts, screen printed tanks and cargo pants, distressed denim with stains and frays, gold embellishments on t-shirts and pants, and neon colored accessories such as lime green sunglasses, bright orange shoelaces, and hot pink belts.
Summer is the time when you need to fill those clothes with summer clothes that will make them feel comfortable but also with these trendy looks as well.
It is always best to get that hip baby clothes at affordable price.
As new trend comes and go, you definitely do not want your baby to look outdated as long as you do not over spend on those clothes.
That is why shopping through online is the best way to find those clothes for less money coming out of your pocket.
It is most effective way to save money on baby clothes as online stores have lower overhead and operating expenses compare to your local shopping mall.
As you welcome summer fun this year, these baby fashion trends are sure to land your little ones on the best dressed list for summer fun.
Shop those hip baby clothes through online, and get those clothes at affordable and reasonable price.
Do not be late. Summer might be already starting to set.
By: Song Chong
Best Brands in Baby Clothing
Good baby cloth brands not only ensure brand recall, but they also immediately tell you that these clothes have been made under rigorous quality standards, and you can be sure that their snaps won’t come off when the baby is tugging on them. Best brands ensure not just quality, but also your peace of mind. In the next few paragraphs we discuss some of the best brands in baby apparel.
You can buy baby clothes like pajamas, one-piece outfits, undershirts, caps and one sun hat, socks, crib shoes and other special outfits from the brands mentioned below. Winter apparel like sweaters and jackets are also available with almost all of these brands.
Designer Baby Clothing
Babybam is a line of organic clothing that has been worn by many celebrity babies. Babybam clothes are made out of bamboo fiber, which is as fine as silk, and one of the more environmentally safe products. Estella is another popular designer baby clothes brand, which is available both online and offline. Carriage Boutique and Feltman Brothers are some other costlier but famous baby apparel brands.
As a parent, you are the one to decide what type of brand you want to use for your baby. Is it worthwhile to go with Ralph Lauren for a $40 pajama which will become obsolete, because of the growth of the baby, in 6 months? We leave you to decide on that – meanwhile we present below some brands which will not cost a year of college education to clothe your infant in, but which still are the best in business.
Best Brands in Baby Clothing
Anavini has a wide collection of hand smocked babies apparel and dresses. It also provides a line of matching brothers and sister’s outfits. So if you get the urge to dress your kids in the same colors and dresses, you can get matching dresses for them. Though on the pricier side, Baby Bjorn is another popular brand of baby apparel. Apart from baby apparel, they also keep other kids products that you can get for the baby. Appaman is another popular brand – they label themselves as clothes with “street cred”. We are not sure how much street cred you want to give your 4 month old, but if you are so inclined, as part of parenting fun, you can have a look at them. Carter’s is one of the largest manufacturers of children’s apparel in the US. They also own OshKosh B’Gosh. Their clothes are also available with Baby Clothes USA. Carter’s brand pajamas are known for their quality at a reasonable price. Baby Einstein was started and designed by a mom who wanted to expose her babies to arts at an early age; these clothes are colorful, comfortable and fun. Gymboree is another popular brand of kids apparel. Apart from their online store at gymboree.com, they have more than 630 retail stores across the US and Canada.
You can get all these brands at their websites, or at online retailers. The advantage of online retailers is they keep many brands at one place, so it is easier to compare and checkout different types of clothes and products. Many of them also give discounts over the sale price of the clothing, specially in the holiday season.
By: James Michael Smithson
Trends In Strollers
There is fashion and beauty in everything, our children’s clothes, gadgets and trends in strollers are no exception. Here, I will review some of the past year’s trends, some of which admittedly started earlier but continued to flourish. Please comment if you see trends in strollers I missed!
Pimp My Stroller
In the case of baby fashion it is the big trend to “pimp your stroller” which means to alter, decorate and make the stroller unique and give it its own look. This trend began a few years ago but is still growing. Bugaboo was one of the first brands to offer different types of canopy and seat covers in various fabrics depending on the season. It also hired well-known designers and came out with special versions of the covers. Another example is the Swedish brand, Kronan, which also sells covers for their strollers, which can be purchased separately.
Pimping includes changing colors and adding decorations such as lamps, self-reflection, name signs, etc… Look around the web to find pictures of families’ pimped strollers. Even if you don’t visit websites you can see the trend live when people take their pimped strollers out for a ride. Many people pimp their stroller with both self-made decorations and purchased. What you want is a unique stroller that is cool and will be noticed but is still a safe stroller from a good brand.
Exercise with your baby
Another stroller trend on the rise, since a while back, is the fitness and health trend. People can now go jogging with their strollers. This is very popular and also a good for your health. Many women want to shred the extra “pregnancy pounds” and what better way is there than a jogging stroller?
Retro strollers
Another phenomenon that could be called a mini-trend is the old classic retro prams that are becoming increasingly visible mainly in cities. It’s all about prams from the 60′s-80′s, especially classics like the Emmaljunga, Brio, Hesba and the classy 70′s strollers that are hot on the second hand market for strollers. These old babies are now almost veteran- like, solid yet beautiful designs with their large but slim stylish wheels and fine corduroy or velvet.
This stroller “trend”, however, is probably best described as a mini-trend since the phenomenon appears relatively limited to a more fashion conscious and interested in design parents in big cities where accessibility is relatively good.
By: Lisa Elisabeth Johnson
Trendy and Hippy Toddler Boy Clothing
Shopping for toddler boy clothing used to be quite a challenge because unlike shopping for little girls, the choices were just not there. Now, however, with the continuous creation and production happening in the fashion world some unique and adorable trendy outfits for little male tot have been generated. Manufacturers of baby clothing have followed suit.
The trend for toddler boy clothing is very different from the clothes for little girls. Clothing for baby boys is simpler, more functional yet unique. Their designs are patterned after the interests and likes of male tots such as animals, cars, super heroes and cartoon characters. Moreover, styles that are only noticeable in adult male clothes are incorporated and created in little male versions such as cargo or short pants, collared shirts, suits, blue jeans and other designer garments. One-piece sleepwear and jersey clothes are also available for the little guys.
Available toddler boy clothing in the malls are dependent on the season. For the summer season, parents should make sure that their little boys are ready for the sun. Velcro-strap sandals and flip-flops are a trend with the boys. It can be used in many types of outdoor activities and is very comfortable and cheap too. This footwear comes in hip designs suited for the boys. For a splash on the pool, swimming trunks should be a must in the parents’ shopping list. Let the little boy choose his own design and color as part of the fun experience. The only thing the parents have to check on with this clothing is its quality. Tank tops and t-shirts are also a must during summer. Boys would love these because they are comfortable. Make sure that the shirts can be matched with multiple differently colored shorts for practicality reasons. For shorts, choose denim and cargo shorts for different outdoor activities.
After surveying on what toddler boy clothing are needed for the summer, it is time to shop for them. The first thing that parents should check, before driving to the nearest mall, is the exact size of their little boys. Some parents would contest this because they believe they know it all. However during the first three years of a child, he grows very fast. So to be accurate, always check the size or the cash goes to waste. Another tip is for parents to buy clothes that are one to two sizes up to give room for growth. However, this tip is quite tricky as parents do not want the clothes to hamper the little boys’ movements. To resolve this, parents may want to buy those Velcro-type clothes instead of those closed by buttons or zippers. Velcro-type clothes follow the growth of the wearer since they can be adjusted to your toddler boys’ size at that moment. Most, if not all, toddler boy clothing should be 100% cotton and flame-retardant for maximum safety and comfort.
Choices for little boys’ clothing must always follow this prioritization: safety first, comfort second, accessibility third and last and should be the least, at this time, is style.
By: Maureen Brownell